


Scream Queen

by StarMaamMke



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Romance, implied sexual situations, silliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-08
Updated: 2017-11-08
Packaged: 2019-01-31 03:21:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12667197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarMaamMke/pseuds/StarMaamMke
Summary: Eleven misinterprets a situation. Hilarity ensues. Based on a tumblr prompt (@starmaammke)





	Scream Queen

Joyce Byers was flushed and glowing as she bustled about in her kitchen, preparing Christmas breakfast as the rest of the house slumbered. Her mind kept flashing back to the night before, gradually deepening her blush as she whipped up the batter for the Belgium waffles. She had taken notes during a cooking show and practiced for two weeks before deciding she was ready to test her cooking prowess - the waffle iron was new, a Christmas present to herself and El Hopper, when the girl stayed over. 

Both El and Jim Hopper had ended up staying Christmas Eve night with the Byers - not exactly a rare occurrence any longer, but it was the first holiday they were all spending together as a sort-of-family. Joyce wanted everything to be perfect.

“Do you need help?” Hopper rumbled from behind her. She gave a violent start and turned towards his voice; she hadn’t heard him come into the kitchen with the radio playing so loudly. He stood in front of her, tall and powerful, wearing green plaid sleep pants, a white t-shirt, and a boyish grin that made his clear blue eyes sparkle. She resisted the urge to reach up and ruffle his mussed-up dark-blonde locks. 

“I pre-heated the oven, do you think you can handle the bacon?” Joyce asked, setting the bowl onto the counter so she could step forward, into his big, warm, outstretched arms. She gave a contented sigh as his lips brushed the top of her head, his hands rubbing soothing circles against her back as he held her in the middle of the kitchen. 

“There’s an innuendo in there, but I can’t think quick enough to come up with it,” Hopper chuckled as he pulled away to give her a sweet, fleeting kiss. “But, yeah, I got the bacon, Joy-Joy.”

Joyce snorted. “No one’s called me that since I was in the 8th grade.”

“I know. I punched the last kid who tried. That’s my nickname for you.” 

“Ridiculous. Get to work, you animal,” she scolded, giving his butt a little smack before picking up her mixing bowl.

“Mmm, we’ll revisit that during the next sleepover.”

They worked together in companionable silence that was intermittently broken up by one or both of them singing along to the songs on the radio. Hopper was about to pull the bacon from the oven, when the radio cut off with a crackle. Joyce froze with a stack of plates in her hand as El stormed into the room, her small pale face screwed up in fury as she marched over to Hopper.

“Get away from her!” El shouted.

“What the hell?” Joyce cursed, setting the plates onto the table and rushing over to El’s side. She placed a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder and found it rigid to the touch. “Sweetie, what’s the matter?”

“Don’t protect him - I heard him hurting you!”

Hopper pulled the bacon from the oven, and set it on top before placing his hands on his hips and glaring down at his adopted daughter. “What are you even talking about?”

“Just now, honey? Hop wasn’t hurting-”

“No, last night!” 

Hopper’s hands fell from his hips as his gaze moved from El, to Joyce who was gaping in wonder at the statement, her dark eyes wide and her face bloodless “L-last night?” she croaked, placing one steadying hand on the tabletop. 

“Yes! He went into your bedroom after Will and Jonathan and I went to sleep, and he hurt you - don’t you remember?”

Joyce had to sit down, she was beginning to feel light-headed and mortified. She pulled the angry girl into the chair next to her. “I don’t think-”

“You kept screaming.”

Oh. Oh, no. Joyce shot Hopper a horrified look, but he was bent over the counter, covering his face with two big hands. He looked as though he was sobbing, but upon further inspection, Joyce realized that he was laughing as silently as he could. Bastard.

“H-honey, no. Hopper would never hurt me, you have to understand that. We love each other - and you - so much.”

“Then what?”

“We were watching a horror movie. That wasn’t me, it was Jamie Lee Curtis.”

El wrinkled her nose. “A Halloween movie on Christmas?”

Joyce nodded. “Right, Hopper?”

“Oh yeah, that actress is great. Quite the screamer.”

Joyce shot him the most venomous look she could muster, mouthing ‘I’ll kill you’ when El wasn’t looking. 

“I’m so sorry we scared you, and it was very wrong of us to keep the volume up so high, especially when you’re such a light sleeper. We’ll be more careful in the future, okay?”

El nodded. “Okay. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas. Now go get dressed, breakfast will be ready soon.”

When El was out of earshot, Joyce rose to her feet, crossed the room to where Hopper was still leaning against the counter (laughing uproariously now), and swatted him on the arm. 

“You’re no help.”

“Says you. I put a gag in your stocking after you fell asleep.”


End file.
